BOONE, N.C. - The App State women's basketball team will host Coastal Carolina at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday as part of a doubleheader with the men's basketball program.
Fans are encouraged to come early for the men's game at 1 p.m. against James Madison, and stay late for the women's game that follows, as one ticket will get fans into both games. Saturday's doubleheader will also be the Mountaineers' Stripe Out day, in which fans are encouraged to wear either black or gold depending on the section their seats are in. A performance from the Zooperstars will be featured during halftime of the women's game. Both games will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
App State fell short to Troy, 85-68, on Thursday. Senior
Zada Porter led the team with 18 points, draining 4-of-8 from the arc. Porter has been the Mountaineers' top scorer in four games this season. Fellow senior
Eleyana Tafisi netted a season high 11 points and made a team high three steals. Tafisi also matched senior
Asjah Inniss for the team high in the rebounds category, as each pulled down six. Additionally, Tafisi matched with junior
Elena Pericic in the assists category, as each dished out six.
Around the Mountain
Senior
Emily Carver averages 10.4 points per game for the Mountaineers, followed by Porter (9.6 points per game), and senior
Mara Neira (8.7 points per game). Porter leads the team in the assists category with 3.1 per game and Neira leads the team in the steals category with 1.8 per game. Pericic is the Black and Gold's top rebounder, averaging 4.8 per contest.
Pericic leads the league in 3-point percentage (61.1%) and ranks second in 3-pointers per game (2.8) in conference-only action. Tafisi stands second in the assists category, dishing out an average of 6.0 assists per conference clash. In conference-only play, App State ranks second in scoring offense (75.8 points per game), field goal percentage (44.2%), and made 3-pointers (8.3 per game) assists (16.75 per game). The Mountaineers also stand fourth in 3-point percentage (35.1%), combined team rebounds (40.3 per contest) and defensive rebounds (28.3 per game). App State rounds out the league's top-five in the steals category, averaging 8.5 per conference clash.
For the season, App State leads the league in field goal percentage (43.3%) and ranks second in assists per game (15.7). The Mountaineers also rank second in the SBC and 15th in the NCAA in bench points per game, averaging 29.6. The Black and Gold stand third in the league in defensive rebounds per game (27.1), scoring offense (69.4), and 3-point percentage (33.3%). Individually, Neira ranks sixth in 3-point percentage (36.3%) and eighth in 3-pointers per game (2.07) in the Sun Belt for the season.
Series History vs. Coastal Carolina
App State leads the series against Coastal Carolina, 15-7, and have won its last two contests against the Chanticleers. The Mountaineers and Chanticleers last met on Feb. 3, 2024 in Conway, S.C., where App State won, 80-70. Four Mountaineers netted double-figures, led by
Faith Alston, who scored 18 points.
Taylor Lewis grabbed a team high nine rebounds and drained five 3-point buckets. Carver, who netted 13 points, dished out a team high six assists. The Mountaineers shot 51.7% from the arc and 47.1% from the field.
Scouting Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina is 12-2 (3-1 SBC) on the season and enters Saturday's game after snapping ODU's home win streak with an 80-77 win in Norfolk, Va. on Jan. 8. The Chants opened SBC play with a tight 63-61 victory over ULM (Dec. 29) before falling short to Troy in overtime on Jan. 2. CCU bounced back with a 73-58 win over South Alabama on Jan. 4. In non-conference play, the Chanticleers went 9-1, only dropping a contest to NC State (Nov. 21). Coastal Carolina's non-conference slate featured a pair of 100-point contests over Union Commonwealth (Nov. 15) and South Carolina State (Dec. 21). CCU notched victories over Central Michigan (Nov. 4), Charleston Southern (Nov. 10), UNC Greensboro (Nov. 13), Jacksonville State (Dec. 7), Presbyterian (Dec. 15) and UNC Wilmington (Dec. 18). The Chanticleers received votes in this week's CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major Top-25 poll.
Savannah Brooks leads the Chanticleers, averaging 15.2 points per game. Following Brooks is Alancia Ramsey (10.9 points per game) and Kristin Williams (10.3 points per game). Ramsey is Coastal Carolina's top rebounder, averaging 6.4 per contest. In the assists category, Jayden Marable averages a team high 4.6 per game.
Coastal Carolina stands second in the league in steals (9.5) and third in scoring offense, averaging 75.0 points per game in conference play. Individually, Ramsey ranks third in the league in rebounds 10.3 per conference game) and Marable rounds out the top-five in assists, dishing out 4.3 per conference contest. For the season thus far, Brooks leads the Sun Belt in steals per game (2.69), ranks second in points per game and field goal percentage (47.6%) and third in total steals (35) for the season thus far. Marable ranks second in assists (64) and assists per game in the SBC. Riley Stack ranks second in the SBC in blocks (25) and blocks per game (1.79). Coastal Carolina leads the Sun Belt in seven categories including scoring offense (79.6), steals per game (12.9), and turnovers forced per game (22.86). The Chanticleers rank among the NCAA's top-25 in five categories, including steals per game, turnovers forced per game, and 3-pointers per game.
On the Horizon
The Mountaineers will travel to Norfolk, Va. to challenge Old Dominion on Jan. 15 at 6:30 p.m. before making a stop in Huntington, WVa. to take on Marshall on Jan. 18 at 1 p.m. Both games will be available to stream on ESPN+.
